Contemporary

In this social housing project by the French architects Barrault Pressacco, one idea stands out: the clear separation between the building’s structure and its envelope. The structure, defined by generous spans and durable materials, is designed to adapt to different uses over time. The envelope, made from natural and locally sourced materials, is treated as an independent layer with a shorter life cycle, ready to change as needs evolve.

In the design process of a ventilated façade, architects often focus on selecting the material, color, format, and layout of the cladding panels. Meanwhile, the substructure that makes system possible,  responsible for transmitting loads to the main structure, is relegated to the background, hidden within the air cavity.

The project for the revitalization of the Medina of Fez has been widely published.

When we think of earth as a construction material, we often picture thick, load-bearing walls with small openings. This architectural form is shaped mainly by the material’s physical properties and the traditional building techniques developed to create habitable spaces that met basic needs—shelter and some thermal comfort.

What may seem at first glance like a conventional facade, with a masonry outer layer resting on the slab, is nothing like reality! Hidden tension rods within the bricks and post-compression allow the heavy panel to remain suspended and work in tension.

Equally interesting is the opening, where the ceramic lattice covers the opaque hinged panel, acting as a security barrier rather than a solar filter.

In line with the previous post (183), referring to this “new” way of conceiving architecture, we want to share this magnificent example of reusing material with you.

Again, wall structures and materials of mineral origin are imposed.

We want to thank this young team of architects for their generosity in sharing this really interesting and innovative project with us.

This case would be quite an ordinary rain screen façade with a lightweight steel frame main wall and a cladding, if it were not for the reflective membrane. This layer achieves air-tightness all around the building and moisture protection of the main wall, allowing the exterior board not to be a cement board, as is the standardised Knauf system.